The tvvo most vvorthy and notable histories which remaine vnmained to posterity (viz:) the conspiracie of Cateline, vndertaken against the gouernment of the Senate of Rome, and the vvarre which Iugurth for many yeares maintained against the same state. Both written by C.C. Salustius.

CHAP. 12.

A disgression of the Author vpon the cause of the corruption and declination of the Roman Empire.

THis bandying of parties by the peo∣ple, and the partiality of the Gentry, with the accustomary assiduity of corrupt passages, tooke their first o∣riginall in Rome not many yeares si∣thence, from the disuse of warre, and enioyment of those vanities (wealth and idlenesse) which all mortall men do most seeke after. For before the razing of Carthage, the Senate and Roman people ruled the state with indifferencie, in quiet and mu∣tuall modesty: contentions of Superiority and greatnesse were not heard of amongest fellow-Cittizens: forrayne feares retained the citty within bounds of mediocrity.

As feare vanished, so those vanities (which accompany prosperity) wantonnesse and pride approched: Insomuch that in aduerse times, the fruition of peace and idlenesse was most bitter and burdensom to them. For the Nobility conuerted the institution of their superiority into arro∣gancy, and the Cominalty, their priuiledges into libertie. Each party made shift for themselues, to vsurpe, to rauine, to bandy. There were but two factions; the Common∣wealth, which consisted in medio, was wronged on both sides: whereof the Nobility interessed by faction, preuai∣led most, the strength of the Commons disiointed & dis∣persed in multitudes, could do little.

The people were kept low by pouerty and imploimēts in seruice: The spoiles of warre the Generals shared vnto themselues and their fauourites, whilst in the meane time the parents and infants of the souldiers, were disseized of their inheritances, as they hapned to lie adioyning neere the confines of some great personage. Thus auarice in∣corporated with Greatnes, laide claime, & made prize of all things without meane in al places, vntil it ran head∣long into desperate ruine. For after, Some of the Nobi∣lity

were found to affect true glory before vsurped power, the Citty began to be disquieted, and ciuill dissention as dust carried with a whirlewind, inuaded mens sancies. Ti∣berius and C. Gracchus (whose Ancestors had done many good seruices to the state, both in the Punique, and other wars) were the first, that endeuoured to restore the people to liberty, & to cal the offences of some few into question. The Nobility being guilty, & therefore fearful, sometimes sound meanes to frustrate the deuises of the Tribunes by their associats, and the Latines, and sometimes by the Ro∣man Knightes, whom the hope of equality had exempted frō siding with the vulgar. First they slue Tiberius, & with in few yeares after C. Gracchus, with M. Fuluius Flaccus: the one colourably, for moouing sedition; the other, for producing the Law of sending forth Colonies. To speak vp∣rightly, the Gracchi were too too violent in their desires of preuailing: for it is a wiser course, to yeeld in a good cause, rather then to wreck our iniuries in an euill measure. Vp∣on this victory, the Nobility according to their pleasures & particulars, either massacred or banished many b mor∣tall creatures, for future ages procuring vnto themselues, more fear then power. A proiect which hath ruinated ma∣ny great cities, wherin the one hath studied by all c means to ouer-master the other, and after victory, to proceede with cruelty. Let this suffice for the partialities and state of the Citty, the multiplicity whereof, if I should addresse my selfe in particular to remember, time rather then Co∣py would faile my indeuours. Wherefore I will retire my pen to purpose.

Notes

• Seruabat cas••as humilis fortuna Latinas
• Quondam, nec vi∣tus contingi parua sinebat
• Tec•••• labor, som∣nique breues.
• b

  Quiae ex popula∣laribus nullus eis faueret.
• c

  Per fas et nefas.